Lyric discussion by luminous1 

Cover art for Tell Yourself lyrics by Natalie Merchant

First Part

To me it’s an adolescent girl blossoming in the midst of societies obsession with beauty, and what it means in general to be a woman.

“Look in the mirror” “I hear you counting, I know your adding up the score up the score” The narrator being once at that age can relate. Score= calories or it can be her own worth.

Second Part.

“Ever since Eden” Adam blamed Eve for his decision to consume of the “forbidden fruit” an event that later was to be known as “the fall of man”

“Built for pleasing” Since this time she’s been making up for this “indiscretion”.

Definitions Pretty = pleasing by delicacy or grace

“Belle dujour” in 1967 where a married woman is bored with being marriage, so she begins to have dreams of being raped, spanked, and humiliated. She then eagerly seeks to become a prostitute. I rented the film and there are morew than some inappropriate relationships that are hinted to when the main character was young. The film goes back and forth between reality and subconscience.